Towel steaming appliance



M. L. CORDERO TOWEL STEAMING APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 22, 1946 5 4 a w my 5 n! H, w 5 w, A 4 .1 M W- z i AM 0 0 4 3 m 1 m m INVENTOR I 1110019550 llfiofiai fio Q ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1949 TOWEL STEAMIN G APPLIANCE Modesto L. Cordero, New York, N. Y., assignor to Modesto Cordero, New York, N. Y.

Application August 22, 1946, Serial No 692,257

11 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical appliance for heating towels, poultices, compresses, and more particularly, to a barbers accessory whereby towels may be heated electrically.

A barber's appliance now most generally in use for heating towels, as part of the tonsorial treatment, is a gas heated steam boiler, requiring an installation which is cumbersome and expensive. Furthermore, thebarber is subjected to the discomfort of handling steaming hot towels, to wring them out to retain only a comfortable quantity of moisture.

It is contemplated by my invention to provide an electrical device whereby moist towels may be handled at comfortable handling temperatures, or in a cold condition, and be heated at localized areas to generate steam in the body of the towel, so that the steaming fabric may be used by the barber. It is contemplated by me to utilize the resistance of a moist towel to the passage of electricity therethrough to generate steam in situ, whereby a device is provided for supplying steaming towels, poultices of compresses for the operator.

Where I have attempted to heat wet towels by electricity with plates connected to an electrical circuit, the time element in effecting conduction of moisture from one plate to another and through the towel, as well as the unequal distribution of contact, has been so uncertain as to render such device unsuccessful for my purposes.

I have found that by coating a pair of terminal plates in an electric circuit with a permeable or porous insulator, contact of one or both of these plates with wet fabric, such as a wet towel, is distributed over a large area so that the heating effect due to the passage of electricity through the wet towel is uniformly secured, and localized heating tending to short or cause jumping of the current between the plates is eliminated. I have further found that by the use of terminal plates which are corrugated, that the corrugations of one plate nesting within those of the other result in rapid as well as uniform heating of the towel.

Accordingly it is an object of my invention, to provide, a towel steaming device wherein a pair of opposed terminal plates connected in an electrical circuit are availed of to heat the moisture in the towel to the steaming point, and to effect such steam generating action quickly and effectively and uniformly throughout a single or multiple layers of fabric.

It is further contemplated by my invention to provide a towel or like steaming device whereby an operator may handle a towel safely, while employing a pair of opposed terminal plates connected in an electrical circuit, depending upon the resistance of the moist towel to generate heat.

It is contemplated by my invention to provide a towel steaming device which is rapid and efficient in its action, and which may be produced economically.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein, or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device, with portions broken away to show details;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, with the elements of the device in the closed position;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of my device, showing the manner in which the towel may be removed from the heating device;

Figure 4 is a magnified fragmentary section of the plate assembly.

Making reference to the drawing, I provide a steaming device I 0 in which a base II has its face [2 provided with a terminal plate I3 by covering a block ll of insulating material. The plate I3 is made of transversely corrugated metal. I prefer to use sheet aluminum, though stainless steel, carbon plates or somewhat equivalent nonoxidizing conductors may be employed.

The block I4 may be any non-conductor material. I have found that well-seasoned wood is adequate for my purpose.

Suitable fastening means, such as screws I5, are availed of to affix the plate 13 to the block l4. The size of the block l4 and the terminal plate covering the same is planned to leave a rim IE to the front, back and side peripheral edges of the base H, for purposes which will appear hereinafter.

Before attaching the block [4 and the terminal plate I3 to the base H, I connect a conductor wire I! to the plate and then envelop the block and the plate with a permeable insulation I8 which covers the front face 19 of the plate l3, as well as the side and front edges thereof, and the block l4, and extended to provide an overhang 20 to the back face of the block I l. The block I4 and the terminal plate l3 are thereupon attached to the front face of the base H. The base II has affixed to it a spaced block 2|. To this block there is hinged the pressure cover 22 by means of the hinge 23. A coiled spring 24 has its opposite ends 25 and 26 tensioned normally to space the cover 22 in the position shown in Figure 1. The cover 22 carries on its lower face 27 a block 28, covered by a corrugated terminal plate 29 and a permeable insulating wrapper 30 of a size and shape complementary to the block M and its overlying terminal plate l3.

The corrugations of the plates l3 and 29, respectively, are so chosen that the hills 3| of one plate nest within the valleys 32 of the opposed plate. The permeable insulating material is stretched over the plates to lie on the hills of the corrugations. A suitable material for effecting this purpose in accordance with one embodiment of my invention is cheesecloth, which I have applied in layers up to four in number with desirable results. Other permeable and porous insulating materials which I may use are leather, thin woven wool fabric, canvas, foils made of insulated material and perforated.

As in the case of the lower plate I3, a conductor or wire 33 is connected to the plate 29 at one end. The conductors IT and 33 are led through a switch 34 and from there through the line 35 to a plug 35, for connection to some suitable outlet. The switch 34 has a spring ejected control button 31, normally maintaining the circuit through the line 35 in the closed condition.

The button 3! lies in the path of the heel 38 of the cover member 22 so that as the cover member 22 moves upwardly, the heel 38 will engage the button 3'? to open the circuit in the line 35.

When it is desired to heat a towel to the steaming condition, the operator moistens a towel with normal tap or cool water, wringing it out so that the excess moisture is removed and the towel is in the damp condition. The operator then takes the towel T, places it over the lower plate IE, to rest on the enveloping porous insulation, leaving overhangs 39 to each side. In this position, the operator then presses down the cover 22, preferably using the handle 40, holding down the cover 22, so that the plate 29 is brought into firm contact with the upper face of the towel T. The thickness of the blocks 14 and 28 and the clearance of the edges of these blocks from the edges of the base II, and the cover plate 22, so as to leave the rim I6, are all coordinated as to size to prevent the fingers F of the operator from coming in contact with the plates l3 and 29 when the cover 22 is in the overlying position and the circuit is open.

The time element for bringing the towel to a steaming condition under operating conditions using ordinary house power is very small and a few seconds application of the pressure will suffice to bring the towel to the steaming condition.

The porosity or permeability of the insulating cover elements I8 and 30 aids in bringing about a rapid and uniform distribution of the moisture from the towel, to contact with the plates. This action is augmented by the inter-nesting relationship of the hills and valleys 3| and 32 of the opposed plates l3 and 29, respectively.

In operation, the steaming action given to the towel is localized to the area in contact with the opposed plates l3 and 29. The overhangs 39 are left unheated. The operator may therefore handle the towel T without any personal discomfort, by grasping the overhangs 39 and aerating the steaming portion to the point where it is felt to be tolerable to the skin.

The inclusion b me of the permeable insulating envelop or cover for the electrodes, and the use of the inter-nesting corrugations contribute largely to foolprooiness of the device.

Except for the operation of my device by the application of pressure to the cover member 22 with intervening moisture between the plates, the circuit through the plates is in the open condition. While I have included a switch 31 which opens the circuit upon raising the cover, the porous insulation covering the plates l3 and 29 also acts eflectively to prevent passage of current from one plate to another, and it is only upon the application of pressure to force moisture from a moist towel into the pores of the insulating cover that contact sufiicient to conduct the passage of electricity is effected.

Without intending to be limited thereby, I offer the explanation that the uniform steaming operation distributed over the area of the towel or fabric held between the plates l3 and 29 is occasioned by the structure which I have devised, requiring the application of pressure to the cover member, which brings a large number of points over the area of the towel in contact with the plates rather than a localization of contact, with no uniformity.

Both the nesting form of the terminal plates and the covering porous insulating material contribute to the most desirable form of my invention, although either of these features, taken singly, provides desirable operating conditions. Accordingly, my invention is not intended to be limited to the use of all of the features disclosed, but isolated features may be used singly, and my invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

While the device is primarly designed to serve the needs of barbers, hairdressers and masseurs for steaming the face or hair as part of a tonsorial or head-dressing treatment, it is understood that my device is admirably suitable for the preparation of poultices, or compresses for use by the medical profession in supplying the anodyne value of hot moist heat.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A towel or like steaming device comprising, in combination, a pair of terminal plates, conductors for said plates connecting the same in an electrical circuit, said plates having their rear faces supported upon insulators having mounting means for moving said plates toward and away from each other, to bring the front faces of said plates into contact, at least one of said plates having attached thereto and being covered on the front face by a water permeable insulating sheeting whereby moisture from the towel to be heated penetrates through said pores of said sheeting to cause heat to be generated in said towel between said plates.

2. A towel or the like steaming device comprising, in combination, a pair of terminal plates, conductors for said plates connecting the same in an electrical circuit, said plates being mounted on insulators and including means for moving said plates toward and away from each other, and complemental inter-nesting extensions on said plates.

3. A towel or the like steaming device comprising, in combination, a pair of terminal plates, conductors for said plates connecting the same in an electrical circuit, said plates being mounted on insulators and including means for moving said plates toward and away from each other, and complemental inter-nesting extensions on said plates, comprising corrugations extending transversely of said plates.

4. A towel or the like steaming device comprising, in combination, a pair of terminal plates. conductors for said plates connecting the same in an electrical circuit, said plates being mounted on insulators and including means for moving said plates toward and away from each other, and complemental inter-nesting extensions on said plates, at least one of said plates being covered by a water permeable insulating layer whereby moisture from the towel to be heated penetrates through the pores of said sheeting to cause heat to be generated in said towel between said plates.

5. A towel or like steaming device comprising, in combination, a pair of opposed terminal plates, conductors for said plates connecting the same in an electrical circuit, insulators for the rear faces of said plates including mounting means for moving the plates to bring the front faces thereof in contact with each other and porous insulating sheeting providing a covering for the front faces of said plates connected thereto and comprising loosely woven fabric normally interposed between said plates.

6. A towel or like steaming device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said plates are shaped to form complementary inter-nesting protuberances.

7. A towel or like steaming device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said plates are shaped to form complementary inter-nesting protuberances comprising corrugations.

8. In a device for heating moistened towels or the like by means of electrode plates insulated and movable to and from each other and between which plates the moist towels may be placed for heating by connection of the plates to a source of current supply to complete the circuit through the moist towels, the combination wherein at least one of said plates is covered by a water permeable insulating sheetin affixed to one ,of said plates and being normally interposed between said pates.

9. In a device for heating moistened towels in accordance with claim 8 wherein both of sit-id plates are enveloped in a permeable sheeting comprising open mesh fabric.

10. In a device for heating moistened towels or the like in accordance with claim 8, wherein said plates are shaped to form complementary, internesting protuberances and the means permitting movement of the plates, guides the plates in inter-nesting position in the movement of the plates to each other.

11. In a device for heating moistened towels or the like in accordance with claim 8 wherein the plates are corrugated and enveloped in an open mesh fabric and are guided to and from each other to inter-nest the protuberances on the plates.

MODESTO L. CORDERO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,206,093 Chapman Nov. 28, 1916 2,152,365 Smith Mar. 28, 1939 2,408,093 Patterson Sept. 24, 1946 

